White Sox 7, Mariners 4

SEATTLE (AP)

Alex Rios has been putting in an effort to really concentrate on
his approach at the plate and improve the quality of his
at-bats.

That work paid off Sunday when Rios got three hits and drove in
three runs to help the Chicago White Sox completed a series sweep
of the Seattle Mariners with a 7-4 victory.

Rios hit a tying, two-run triple in the sixth and then scored on
a sacrifice fly by Kosuke Fukudome to put the White Sox ahead for
good.

Rios and Fukudome added RBI singles in the eighth against Tom
Wilhelmsen.

''I'm just focusing on my approach right now,'' Rios said. ''I
want to swing at good pitches, have a good approach and besides
that nothing else.''

Manager Robin Ventura has noticed over the attention to Rios'
approach paying off the last few games.

''It's something he's kind of been working on and he just looks
very comfortable at the plate and confident,'' Ventura said.

The win polished off a rejuvenating series sweep of the Mariners
after coming to Seattle as losers of four of their last five games.
The White Sox have won 19 of their last 22 games against the
Mariners including their second straight sweep in Seattle.

''We played pretty good these three games,'' Rios said. ''It's a
confidence boost to us. We've been playing good. We just need to
keep doing what we're doing.''

A day after Phil Humber pitched a perfect game for the White
Sox, John Danks (2-2) went six innings for the win. Hector Santiago
pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save of the season.

Seattle starter Kevin Millwood (0-1) took a 4-2 lead into the
sixth. Adam Dunn drew a leadoff walk, Paul Konerko singled and
after a groundout, Rios cleared the bases with a triple to the wall
in right-center field.

''When you give it up like that you have to come right back and
answer,'' Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. ''We didn't do
that.''

The White Sox took a 2-0 lead in the third on a double by Alexei
Ramirez that left fielder Casper Wells misplayed for an error, and
an RBI single by Dunn.

Seattle tied it in the bottom half. Chone Figgins led off with a
walk and Ichiro Suzuki singled, setting up an RBI single by Jesus
Montero and an RBI double by Alex Liddi.

Fukudome walked in the fourth and moved up on a wild pitch, but
was thrown out at the plate by Suzuki on Brent Morel's single to
right field.

Miguel Olivo and Wells hit consecutive singles to lead off the
fourth. With Brendan Ryan attempting to bunt, the infield was
pulled up when Danks tried a pickoff throw at first that Dunn never
saw coming. Danks' error allowed Olivo to score and Dustin Ackley
drove in a run with a grounder for a 4-2 lead.

''We had a pick play on and I think we left (Dunn) out. I don't
know,'' Danks said. ''... It's embarrassing but it happens.''

Danks managed to settle in after the fourth inning as Seattle
only managed to draw two walks off Danks in the fifth and sixth
innings.

''He grinds. That's the kind of pitcher he is,'' Ventura said of
Danks. ''...That's just the way he pitches and he has a lot of guts
when he goes out there.''

NOTES: Seattle 1B Justin Smoak got a scheduled day off and Liddi
started in his place. ... Chicago manager Robin Ventura gave CF
Alejandro De Aza the day off with Fukudome starting in his place.
De Aza had played every inning of the first 14 games of the year in
center for Chicago. De Aza pinch-ran for DH Konerko in the eighth.
... White Sox reliever Addison Reed pitched a scoreless seventh,
striking out the side.

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